The Shaykh’s statement that sitting in study circles far apart from one another is contrary to Islamic etiquette.
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The Shaykh : However, in many of the Prophetic hadiths, there is what leads me to rule that sitting far apart from one another is contrary to the hadiths that encourage Muslims to draw close to one another, even in their bodies, for that is a practical proof or a practical means of drawing close in the hearts. It was narrated in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) from the hadith of Abu Thalhah al-Khushani (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
This is regarding their settling down during their travels, so how should it be for those who are scattered in their circles of knowledge and study?!
There is no doubt that gathering in a circle of knowledge is more preferable and more preferable than that gathering when they are a traveling group. And what supports this is what came in *Sahih Muslim*: meaning: scattered. So I understood from this hadith and that one and others that the closeness and distance of the bodies has an effect on the hearts, in terms of closeness and distance as well. Perhaps you all remember that among the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was that when the prayer was established, he would not enter into it until he ordered the rows to be straightened, and that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes say: Sunan Abi Dawud 663Sahih (Al-Albani) So this hadith indicates to us a matter that must be attended to, which is:
That the apparent difference in straightening the rows, this physical, bodily difference, is a legitimate cause for the difference of the hearts, and the opposite is the opposite. For the purpose of the hadith is to encourage straightening the rows so that the hearts draw close, and the opposite is the opposite entirely. Otherwise, if you do not do that, Allah will cause a difference between your hearts and strike some of you against others. So we can take from all these hadiths and others as well an Islamic, Prophetic educational principle, which is: "That the rectification of the apparent affects the rectification of the inner", and that the matter is not as some of the youth imagine, who were deceived by some of the foreign Western culture, then neglected applying much or little of the Shari'ah rulings until they left a pillar of Islam, which is: the prayer. So when they are reminded, they do not remember, but they philosophize and say: The point is not the prayer, but what is in the hearts. So they were ignorant of this Shari'ah reality, which is: "That the rectification of the hearts is by the rectification of the bodies, just as the rectification of the bodies is by the rectification of the hearts". And therefore, it came in the hadith of al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, which is established in the two Sahihs, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Just as the corruption of the body from the material side indicates that the heart of this body is not sound, so the corruption of the body from the Shari'ah side, and its not performing the religious obligations, likewise indicates that this heart is sick and not sound. So whoever wants to rectify his heart, let him apply the Shari'ah rulings, for his application of these Shari'ah rulings is the rectification of this heart. Sahih al-Bukhari 52 So from these hadiths we take this principle: "That the apparent, whether in the individual or the group, in terms of rectification and corruption, indicates the rectification and corruption of the hearts". And therefore, Muslims must observe this principle with true observation, and attend to applying the Shari'ah rulings in practice, for this application is what the Wise Lawgiver made a legitimate cause for the rectification of the hearts. And the matter is as it was said: "The apparent is the title of the inner". So if the apparent is upon the Shari'ah, that is a proof of the rectification of the inner, and the opposite is the opposite. From here, I see that sitting in study circles far apart from one another is contrary to Islamic etiquette. So draw close with your bodies, and you will draw close, if Allah wills, in your hearts.
After this, we hope to hear what questions you have.
We used to travel with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and we would scatter in the valleys and gorges. So we traveled one day and scattered as we used to do before. He said (peace and blessings be upon him): Your scattering is from the work of Satan. Abu Thalhah said: So after that, when we traveled and settled in a valley, we would gather until if we sat on a carpet, it would have been enough for us.
كنا إذا سافرنا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم تفرقنا في الشعاب والوِديان، فسافرنا يومًا فتفرقنا كما كنا نفعل مِن قبل، فقال -عليه الصلاة والسلام-: إنما تفرقكم هذا مِن عمل الشيطان، قال أبو ثعلبة: فكنا بعد ذلك إذا سافرنا ونزلنا واديًا اجتمعنا حتى لو جلسنا على بساط لوسعناThere is no doubt that gathering in a circle of knowledge is more preferable and more preferable than that gathering when they are a traveling group. And what supports this is what came in *Sahih Muslim*:
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the mosque one day and saw his Companions in circles, circles. So he said to them: What is it that I see you as two groups?
أنّ النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم دخل المسجد يومًا فرأى أصحابه حلقات حلقات، فقال لهم: ما لي أراكم عِزين؟Do not be irregular
لتسوون صفوفكم أو ليخالفن الله بين وجوهكمThat the apparent difference in straightening the rows, this physical, bodily difference, is a legitimate cause for the difference of the hearts, and the opposite is the opposite. For the purpose of the hadith is to encourage straightening the rows so that the hearts draw close, and the opposite is the opposite entirely.
Straighten your rows.
لتسوون صفوفكمKnow that the lawful is clear and the forbidden is clear, and between them are matters of doubt, which many people do not know. So whoever avoids the doubtful matters has protected his religion and his honor. Know that every king has a protected area, and know that the protected area of Allah is His prohibitions. Know that whoever goes around the protected area is likely to fall into it. Know that in the body there is a morsel, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. And that is the heart.
إنّ الحلال بين والحرام بين، وبينهما أمورٌ مشتبهات لا يعلمهن كثير من الناس، فمن اتّقى الشُبهات فقد استبرأ لدينه وعرضه، أَلَا وإن لكل ملك حمى، أَلَا وإنّ حمى الله محارمه، أَلَا ومن حام حول الحمى يوشك أن يقع فيه، ألا وإنَّ في الجسد مضغة إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهي القلبBeware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.
ألا وإنّ في الجسد مضغة إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كُلُّه، ألا وهي القلبAfter this, we hope to hear what questions you have.